Counter-Protests Greet WBC in Long Beach, CA

February 21 2010 - 4:09:32:pm by JDL

LONG BEACH (Press Telegram) - Members of a Kansas church best known for its strong anti-gay rhetoric was greeted by mild weather and overwhelming opposition when they stopped off at Wilson High School Friday afternoon during their weekend tour of the Southland. Seven members of the family of Fred Phelps, founder of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., are expected to attend a variety of events in and around Long Beach this weekend to spread their message. . .“

Within the Jewish community there were two very different responses. Deborah Goldfarb, executive director of the Jewish Federation, said she would simply ignore the Westboro group. “We’re trying to make it a nonevent,“ Goldfarb said. A spokesman from the Jewish Defense League, Ari Rubin, screamed curses at the church group. Rubin said that passivity among Jews paved the way for the Holocaust. “ (The Jewish Federation) think they can ignore or appease (opponents); we disagree,“ Rubin said.

(JDL’s recap of the day’s events to follow soon)